Business Jet Traveler - June/July 2009

As the recession drags on, charter operators are facing continued declines in business. The good news for passengers is that a growing number of these operators are launching fixed-price flights and other programs aimed at bringing back customers. The deals that can be had confirm it's a classic buyer's market.

Sentient Jet... has announced new options. As part of its Membership Plus Program, the company has introduced fixed hourly rates for the Hawker 400XP, Citation Excel and Citation X. (For roundtrips on these models, those rates are $4,135, $5,465 and $7,465, respectively.) Customers can also save up to 25 percent on the hourly rates through the company's Network Pricing program.

"It's a tough market, the toughest the industry has ever faced," said Sentient CEO Steven Hankin. "With Network Pricing, the published hourly rates are the maximum a member will pay. If we can do better, we'll pass that [savings] along." Hankin added that the new benefit "aligns our interests with customers a lot more and recognizes the economics of [fixed-price] hours."

The Membership Plus Program, which guarantees access to aircraft, requires a nonrefundable $150,000 fee for two years of participation. "This fits a vast majority of fliers out there," Hankin said, adding that it might prove to be a better option for those considering fractional programs, which are "capital-intensive [and] increasingly costly."